


Jurassic City

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [16]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(May 1989)  Biomaster.  Cloned dinosaurs.  'nuff said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jurassic City

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : art major biology, cloned dinosaurs, gratuitous _WKRP in Cincinnati_ shout-out
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Zes'arou Al'Gari Vikon (AKA Sage), exiled Varanyi psionic
>   * Jack Snyder (AKA Minuteman), independent trucker, brick with stretching powers
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Dr. Matthew Fuseli (AKA Biomaster), master supervillain with powers of neurokinetic manipulation, master geneticist.
> 

> 
> **other**
> 
>   * Theodore Jameson, Sr., Board of Directors, ProStar
>   * Shina Arikawa, butler/chauffer/bodyguard for Julie Dormyer (her 'Alfred')
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]], Varanyi by « »
> 
> * * *

(northeast of Frisco, TX. Around midnight)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Kent 'Spiritual Warrior' Christiansen and Bowser 'Mr. Bassman' Bastable flash into existence)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Thank you for helping me tonight."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "My next gig doesn't start until Friday. I was getting stir-crazy." (beat) "What do we do now?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "You scout ahead and spot where the demonhame is setting up for their ritual." (beat, concentrates, then touches Mr. Bassman's head) "I'll be mind-linked."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Where are they, again?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** (pointing off ahead and to the right): "That way, about a quarter-mile or so. Be careful."

 **Mr. Bassman** (smiles): "No worries, Angel-mon!"

(Mr. Bassman sonic-teleports off in the indicated direction. Tense pause)

 **Mr. Bassman** (shaken): ((Kent? You need to get here RIGHT NOW))

(Spiritual Warrior switches the remaining points of his VPP to a linked Clairsentience to look through Mr. Bassman's eyes. His eyes widen)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((on the way))

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(DEMON Morbanes and cultists are dismembered and scattered everywhere. The blood is still fresh)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (reaching down to touch the most intact body present): "This just happened. The bodies are still warm."

(They walk around the carnage for a moment)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Did they lose control over whatever they were summoning?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** (concentrating briefly): "The dimensional wall is intact. They never even started their ritual." (beat) "Whatever did this to them was naturally-occurring."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "A shame Bob wasn't available. He could've tracked whatever did this on IR..."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Bob's been tied up trying to figure out why his asteroid probe failed last month." (beat) "Got our position?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Yah, mon. One mile southeast of Preston Road and Eldorado Parkway. Collin County side of the line."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Let's port back and call it in."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

* * *

(Jameson Ranch, just outside Frisco, TX. Sunset the next day)

(Ted 'Ranger' Jameson has been invited to supper by his father, Theodore Jameson, Sr.)

 **TJSr** : "So when do I get to meet Aida?"

 **Ranger** : "Dad!"

 **TJSr** : "Son, I ain't gettin' any younger. I'd like to bounce grandchildren on my knees while I can still lift them there."

 **Ranger** : "I'm not even sure we're that serious."

 **TJSr** : "You spent Christmas Week in New York with her." (beat, eats a forkful of food) "If that ain't serious, I don't know what is anymore."

 **Ranger** : "She was in town to help with the Israeli Legation to the United Nations that week. Her work schedule doesn't include a lot of free time or travel, and I'm busy running ProStar."

 **TJSr** : "I thought you said she was with MOSSAD."

 **Ranger** : "The *tabloids* said she was with MOSSAD."

 **TJSr** : "The same Sunday Gossip column in the _Morning News_ that also said she was dating one of your scientists?"

 **Ranger** (beat): "Well, she *was* doing that last year when I met her." /* 'Piranharecho' */

 **TJSr** : "You STOLE her from an employee?"

 **Ranger** : "First, she's a human being, not property. Second, it was her idea." (beat) "She's young. She can be a little immature at times."

 **TJSr** (smiling): "Your mother used to say that about me."

(they chuckle)

 **TJSr** (continuing): "Don't be slow with her, son. If she's anything at all like the picture you showed me, you've got competition for her. She may get tired of waiting on you."

 **Ranger** : "If it happens, Dad, it'll happen." (beat) "Are we going to talk about my love life all meal?"

 **TJSr** : "Not unless you want to." (beat) "Say, that reminds me. When's your Chairman of the Board going to come to HER senses and marry the guy she's been keeping exiled in her guest apartment?"

 **Ranger** (shaking his head): "Don't get me started on either one of them. Please!"

 **TJSr** : "C'mon, son, *everybody* can see it! The way they look at each other at social functions, the way they go at each other like an old married couple..."

 **Ranger** : "He thinks she is out of his league, and she can't spit her true feelings out about him if her life depended on it."

 **TJSr** : "Someone needs to sit 'em down and smack some common sense into them."

 **Ranger** : "That would only make things worse." (beat, sighs) "Dad, is there ANYTHING happening that doesn't involve someone's love life?"

 **TJSr** : "Yeah, but cattle mutilations ain't what I usually like to talk about over dinner."

 **Ranger** : "Cattle mutilations? Is there some cult operating locally?"

 **TJSr** : "Sherriff says it's a wild animal, but unlike any he's ever seen based on the damage."

 **Ranger** : "Who's been affected?"

 **TJSr** : "Most recently? Cal Clifford, over the weekend. He lost his whole herd, probably gonna have to sell his ranch."

 **Ranger** : "He had a pretty good spread..." (beat) "Any buyers?"

 **TJSr** : "His back property line is up against Frisco's city limits as of their last annexation. He's gonna try to get them to buy him out." (beat) "If Frisco keeps growing this fast, I'm probably gonna have to sell my ranch in 5 to 10 years."

 **Ranger** : "Your horses aren't in any danger from this animal, are they?"

 **TJSr** : "Hope not. Something sure had them spooked the night Cal got hit, though."

 **Ranger** : "If it's what the authorities think it is, I'm surprised you and a couple of your hunting buddies aren't going out to hunt it down."

 **TJSr** : "Couple of the younger owners around here already are." (beat) "Any excuse to go out and have some drinks in the countryside."

 **Ranger** : "That won't end well."

 **TJSr** : "And now you know why us older and more responsible hands ain't out with 'em."

 **Ranger** : "Well, if it *is* something other than a wild animal, call me. I still have my connections with PRIMUS, you know."

 **TJSr** : "I'll keep that in mind, son."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. Early evening)

(Sage is sitting in the Breakfast Nook with Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins)

 **Sage** : "Now, say it in Varanyi. What is your name?"

 **Starforce** : «What is my name?»

 **Sage** : "No, you used the wrong pronoun."

 **Starforce** : "They sound alike to me." (beat) "They look alike to me, too, when you write it out."

 **Sage** : "Here, look at it written again."

 **Starforce** : "Wait a minute. It looks like some sort of diacritical mark for 'your' that isn't there in 'mine'."

 **Sage** : "Exactly! Change the vowel, change the tense." (eyes glow briefly) "The closest analogue in your experience would be umlauts in German, except those change pronunciation and meaning."

 **Starforce** : "Good, because in Quenya the diacritical marks ARE the vowels."

 **Sage** : "You can pick up a synthetic language invented by an English professor before World War II but not a language from across our own Galaxy?" (hands against his head in disbelief) "HUMANS!"

 **Starforce** : "It's not like I'm learning a programming language or anything..."

 **Sage** : "It IS like learning a programming language. I can see it in your mind, computer languages have the same subject-verb-object formulation like more complex languages for sentients." (beat) "Or, for that matter, human music."

 **Starforce** : "Hm. I'd never thought of them *that* way before."

(there is a sudden commotion of activity from the Mud Room. Shina Arikawa enters, followed by Julie 'Ladyhawk' Dormyer)

 **Starforce** : "I thought Shina was here..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You thought wrong." (beat, accusingly) "What are you doing out of the Guest Apartment?"

 **Starforce** : "Playing the piano and learning Varanyi, in no particular order. Weren't you supposed to be back tomorrow?"

 **Ladyhawk** (pointing toward the Mud Room, sternly): "Back. Now."

 **Starforce** (standing up and clicking his heels): "Jawohl, meine kommandant!"

 **Sage** (muttered): "He can get the correct tense and gender in German but not Varanyi..."

(Bob goose-steps past Julie)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Can you try NOT being a smartass for once?"

 **Starforce** : "Can YOU try not being a dictator?"

(Julie growls with anger)

 **Shina** (sharply): "Julie-san! Jibun no teniireru!" /* get a hold of yourself! */

(Julie freezes, allowing Bob to make his getaway to the Mud Room)

 **Shina** (sternly): "I am ashamed of you, Mistress Dormyer. Master Robert has been your guest for seven years, and except for the incident with the Andromedan female his behavior has been exemplary!" /* 'The Paradox of Doctor Destroyer' */

 **Ladyhawk** : "I NEVER WANTED HIM HERE! The government forced me to provide his room and board for national security reasons!"

 **Shina** (turning toward her apartment): "That is no excuse for treating him as your prisoner."

(Shina leaves. Julie looks at Vikon)

 **Sage** : ((regardless of whether you will excuse me or not, I have a language lesson to continue))

(he picks up the papers he was using with Bob and leaves for the Mud Room)

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, arms spread): "It's MY house!"

* * *

(Flying J Truck stop, McKinney, TX. Mid-morning)

(A grizzled trucker sits down next to Jack 'Minuteman' Snyder at the front counter as he's eating his breakfast)

 **Trucker** : "Howdy, youngster!"

 **Minuteman** : "Mornin', old-timer!" (beat) "Where you headin'?"

 **Trucker** : "St. Louis. Just picked up a load in Fort Worth." (beat) "They ever get the road repaired around Macalester after that supervillain attack?" /* 'Heart of Darkness' */

 **Minuteman** : "I just came down it yesterday. It's fixed."

 **Trucker** : "'Bout time. It's been a bitch kitty gettin' through Macalester since that damned lich Taco-faines..."

 **Minuteman** (absently with correct pronunciation): "Takofanes."

 **Trucker** : "Whatever... melted the pavement on the bypass a couple years ago."

 **Minuteman** : "I had a friend at the truck stop there when it happened. Sounded pretty frightenin' at the time."

 **Trucker** : "That reminds me of somethin' a friend of mine told me the other day." (beat, drinks coffee) "He was haulin' a couple head o' cattle to the stockyards in Fort Worth before dawn just the other day. Stopped at this here exact truck stop for a bite o' breakfast 'n some coffee. When he came back out, the sides o' his truck were ripped open, his cattle were missin', an' there was a trail o' blood off to the west."

 **Minuteman** : "Sounds like a horror movie to me."

 **Trucker** : "Well, it was the weirdest damn thing he'd ever seen."

 **Minuteman** : "Nothin' wild around the Dallas area can rip open a trailer like that. Unless he was tellin' you a war story or sumpthin'."

 **Trucker** (drinks coffee): "Yeah. Remember you're hearin' it third-hand right about now, so take it for what it's worth."

 **Minuteman** : "Which ain't much."

(they laugh)

 **Trucker** : "Where you headed to, youngster?"

 **Minuteman** : "Droppin' my current load in Dallas, dead-headin' to Fort Worth, then pickin' up a load headin' for Phoenix." (beat) "Hopin' to find sumpthin' headed back to Amarillo so I can stop by Dalhart 'n visit my family for a change."

 **Trucker** : "Well, good luck with that, youngster. Keep your mirrors clear and the bears off your rear."

 **Minuteman** (shaking his hand and laughing): "Amen, brother!"

* * *

(Carrolton Park Church. Early afternoon)

(Kent is preparing notes in his church office for a sermon. In the distance, a piano can be heard from the sanctuary, playing a beautiful yet thunderous arrangement of 'Be Thou My Vision.' There is a bad chord and the music comes to a stop. We faintly hear Bob's voice express an inarticulate sound of disgust, then the music starts again a couple of measures before his previous error.)

(Kent reaches for a glass of water and stops, looking blankly at the rippes that have appeared in it for no reason)

(The next time the ripples occur, he *feels* the vibration come through the foundation of the church, and the ripples in the waterglass become stronger)

(After the third, stronger impact, the piano stops)

 **Starforce** (peeking his head through the office door): "What was that? An earthquake?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** (closing his eyes): "I'm beginning to sense panic. Fear. Terror."

 **Starforce** : "Love to help, but I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion..."

(Without looking, Spiritual Warrior stretches a hand out toward Bob. There is a flash of light, and he is now wearing his battlesuit. Fun with cosmetic transform...)

 **Starforce** (wiggling around in his suit to get it to fit correctly): "I HATE it when you do that!"

 **Spiritual Warrior** (transforming into hero ID himself): "We need to see what's happening."

 **Starforce** (gathering himself for takeoff WHILE STILL IN KENT'S OFFICE): "On it."

(Spiritual Warrior's eyes widen in panic. He places a hand on Starforce)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Starforce throws up noisily all over the parking lot beside the church)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "There WAS a door..."

 **Starforce** (finishing throwing up): (hachk!)"You *know* I can't handle quantum displacement!"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Overwatch. Now."

(Starforce shakes his head, nods, re-establishes his forcefield, and accelerates straight up into the air. Spiritual Warrior concentrates, and shortly has established a mind-link to Starforce)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((see anything?))

 **Starforce** : ((define anything))

 **Spiritual Warrior** (rolling eyes): ((anything *unusual*?))

 **Starforce** : ((other than the giant T-Rex southbound on the DNT? No.))

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((this isn't the time to be joking around.))

 **Starforce** : ((I wish I *was*. There is a TYRANNOSAURUS REX southbound on the Dallas North Tollway. At current speed, I make him 20 minutes away from I-635.))

(shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : ((you know, it might be a good idea to intercept it before it reaches the Galleria.))

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((keep on its tail. I'll get the others.))

 **Starforce** : ((given its size, that shouldn't be a problem.))

* * *

(Above the Dallas North Tollway, two minutes later)

(Starforce is trailing a T-Rex that is heading into Dallas)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[One hour of leave. That's *all* I wanted after a month of staring at the last minute of telemetry from the RIAS probe! One hour to practice on a piano I'm actually allowed to *touch*. Damn Julie for keeping me exiled to the guest apartment...]] /* RIAS = Rapid Intercept Asteroid Surveyor. It will be explained in the story 'Extinction Event' */

(he flies around to other side of the T-Rex. The Galleria is getting closer)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[on the other hand, I haven't had this much fun since we fought Megaterak in Tokyo four years ago...]]

 **Radio** : "Breaker 4-0, this is the Minuteman. Starforce, ya got your ears on?"

(Bob's eyes widen behind his mask and he breaks out into a wide grin)

 **Starforce** : "That's a BIG 10-4 Minuteman! Ain't *you* a sound for sore ears!"

 **Minuteman** (over radio): "I thought that was your energy trail way off to my right. What's happening?"

 **Starforce** : "Ever wrangled a dinosaur before?"

 **Minuteman** (over radio): "You're kidding me."

 **Starforce** : "Seriously! I'm trailing a T-Rex on the DNT, about ten maybe fifteen minutes out of the Galleria. Spiritual Warrior's getting the rest of the team, and we're going to try and stop it before it gets there."

 **Minuteman** (over radio): "You think it's Biomaster's?"

 **Starforce** : "Duh!"

 **Minuteman** (over radio): "I'm westbound on the LBJ at the High Five. I can be there in two minutes."

 **Starforce** : "Traffic sucks at this time of the day! You'll never make it!"

 **Minuteman** (over radio): "Who said I was going to be driving? KAWF 8235, the Minuteman on the mobile, and I. Am. OUTTA HERE!"

 **Ranger** (over radio): "Starforce, was that who I thought it was?"

 **Starforce** : "Sure was. Didn't know he was in town this week!"

 **Ranger** (over radio): "We can use the help. Where is he?"

 **Starforce** : "LBJ and US 75. Better clear a landing zone, he's gonna be leaping in." (beat) "The Galleria's getting *real* close, boss. Orders?"

 **Ranger** : "Can you see any non-commercial real estate that we can divert the dinosaur into?"

 **Starforce** : "Um, let's see... There are multiple construction site just north of the Galleria, and a pretty-extensive warehouse district on the other side of the DNT from there." (alert goes off in his mask) "Stand by, you've got incoming from the east."

(out of the corner of his eye, Starforce sees an elongated human body hurtling in from the east)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Dang. Never seen Jack leap in before from the air!]]

 **Ranger** : "Okay, Minuteman is on the ground and safe. Sage is going to try to divert the T-Rex into the construction zones."

 **Starforce** : "Copy that. I'm descending just in case something goes wrong."

(tense pause. The T-Rex continues to follow the DNT)

 **Starforce** : "Uh, Sage can start any time."

 **Ranger** (over radio): "He already tried. The Rex seems to be in a beserker frenzy, and he can't affect it!"

 **Starforce** : "Great. Biomaster hasn't just made dinosaurs, he's made dinosaurs addicted to PCP!"

(Starforce barrel-rolls into an attack dive from the T-Rex's right)

 **Ranger** (over radio): "Can *you* force it into the construction sites?"

 **Starforce** (T-Rex growing in his sight): "We're about to find out."

* * *

(Just north of The Galleria, Dallas, TX. One second later)

(The T-Rex continues to stomp down the Dallas North Tollway, now less than a quarter-mile from the Galleria. A shooting star streaks down from the western sky and hits it, knocking it off the DNT onto the eastern frontage road. It screams in rage as it attempts to get up, the shooting star wobbling a bit as it flies clear)

 **Ranger** : "Sage, switchboard! Bassman, stun it!" (points to T-Rex) "Pastor, Minuteman, go!"

(Starforce is now stationary in mid-air, attempting to use his telekinesis to pull the T-Rex off of the frontage road. The T-Rex is fighting him to a draw)

 **Starforce** : ((DAMMIT! It's just like trying to walk Schnapps as a child!))

 **Ranger** : ((Schnapps?))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((his dog growing up. Giant schnauzer))

 **Mr. Bassman** : ((and how would you know that?))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((stop it))

 **Ranger** : ((careful there. You almost had a feeling for Bob))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((you too? Seriously?))

 **Mr. Bassman** : ((AH! Thank you, Bob))

(Still fighting Starforce's TK, the T-Rex has finally co-operated in allowing itself to be targeted by Mr. Bassman. He inhales, then funny sensations crawl over everyone as he lets the T-Rex have it)

(the T-Rex shakes its head, then continues to fight Starforce's telekinesis)

 **Mr. Bassman** : ((if I go any more powerful, I could kill it))

 **Minuteman** : ((you want it down and subdued, right Ranger?))

 **Ranger** : ((yes))

 **Minuteman** : ((then let's see how it handles me))

(Minuteman leaps next to the T-Rex and lassos it with stretched arms)

 **Minuteman** : "HA! Gotcha, Godzilla!"

(the T-Rex bellows in rage and bites at one of Minuteman's stretched-out arms [6d6 HKA APx1 no knockback]. Minuteman takes 2 BODY and 42 STUN. Bellowing in pain and bleeding, he lets go)

(Starforce flies in front of the T-Rex and hits with a Force Blast for 12 STUN, distracting it away from Minuteman)

 **Starforce** (forcefield rippling): "YO, GODZILLA! OVER HERE!"

(almost too fast for the naked eye to perceive, the T-Rex rapidly lunges forward and bites down hard on Starforce [same attack it used on Minuteman])

 **Ladyhawk** : "STARFORCE!!"

(the T-Rex screams in pain as several teeth shatter upon hitting Starforce's forcefield, spraying fragments over the ground) /* Unlike with Minuteman the previous phase, the T-Rex rolled real crappy for its damage. */

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented, flash-stepping away from its mouth): "I'd like to see its dental plan cover THAT!"

(while flailing in pain from its forcefield-induced toothache, the T-Rex's tail catches Spiritual Warrior just wrong. He soaks up the immediate damage but takes 14 meters of knockback [Double Knockback on STR, Tail Only] into a construction crane, demolishing it)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (picking himself up from the crane's remains): "Okay, approaching it from that direction WASN'T a good idea."

(recovered from the immediate pain of the T-Rex's bite, Minuteman tries grabbing it again. The T-Rex sprints forward, and he misses)

 **Minuteman** : "You jus' don't expect sumpthin' that big to be so darn FAST!"

 **Starforce** (flying behind it): "Hang on, let me slow it down for you."

(he hits with 50 STR telekinesis. The T-Rex wins the STR vs. STR roll-off and breaks free)

 **Starforce** : "DAMMIT!"

 **Ranger** (to Ladyhawk): "Isn't there something you could do to help them?"

 **Ladyhawk** (sarcastically, indicating the T-Rex): "Like WHAT? Judo-throw it?"

 **Starforce** : ((I'd pay money to see that, Ninjette.))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((shut up, Nerd-boy.))

 **Starforce** : ((Ranger? What's that term the military uses when aircraft are protecting the battlefield?))

 **Ranger** : ((CAP. Combat Air Patrol. Why do you ask?))

 **Starforce** : ((Because I'm tracking a metric buttload of PTERODACTYLS inbound on our position. Guess what *I'll* be doing in thirty seconds?))

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh yeah, like things could GET any worse..."

 **Ranger** (looking toward the DNT): "What the HELL are *they* doing here? I thought PRIMUS had all access to the DNT blocked!"

(Two semis towing cattle trailers are northbound on the frontage road, pulling to the side of the road right next to the construction site in seemingly blissful ignorance of TASK FORCE fighting the T-Rex. After a moment, Biomaster casually strolls around the front of the first semi, waves at TASK FORCE, then presses a button on his key chain)

(The sides of the cattle trailers drop, releasing three dozen Deinonychii into the construction site) /* better known as 'Velociraptor' */

 **Biomaster** : "HAVE FUN, GUYS!"

 **Ranger** (to Ladyhawk): "You just HAD to go and say it, didn't you?"

* * *

(Just north of the Galleria. One second later)

(Biomaster holds a remote control up in the air for all of TASK FORCE to see as he walks into the construction site)

 **Biomaster** : "Don't worry, guys! I designed a genetic kill-switch into them!" (beat) "All you have to do is get it from me!"

(several pterodactyls dive-bomb Spiritual Warrior. He swings Khereviel at them; they hit for no damage, he only kills one of them)

(Starforce vanishes in a cluster of 4 pterodactyls. There is a bright flash, and the pterodactyls drop from the sky, dead)

 **Starforce** : "NEXT?"

(Minuteman grabs the T-Rex and throws it to the ground. Bellowing, it gets back up again)

(Ranger blurs as the Deinonychii swarm over the construction site. 6 of them take 8 BODY and 51 STUN and drop to the ground, bleeding and unconscious)

(a Deinonychus grabs Ladyhawk with its front limbs and gashes her with one of its rear claws for 2 BODY and 6 STUN. Ladyhawk does a somersault throw on it for 1 BODY and 20 STUN, CON-stunning it. She uses three of her throwing shuriken as knives to kill it before it can recover, then throws the shuriken at another Deinonychus running for Mr. Bassman for 3 BODY and 9 STUN. It drops, screaming in pain)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Tank you, hawk-girl!"

(Mr. Bassman hits 6 more Deinonychii with a 14d6 cone AE blast, doing 8 BODY and 48 STUN to them. They all drop unconscious)

(Sage looks at one of the pterodactyls, and his eyes flare with power. It suddenly diverts its attack run on Ladyhawk and hits a Deinonychus instead)

 **Biomaster** (smugly): "I have more dinosaurs than you have time to live, TASK FORCE!"

(Ranger looks at Biomaster, then the T-Rex, then Ladyhawk. He smiles.)

 **Ranger** (internal monologue): [[Biomaster's probably going to tag me, but it will be worth it]] (over mind link) ((Bassman. Brown Note on the T-Rex ON MY COMMAND. Ladyhawk, I'm about to bring something over to you.))

 **Ladyhawk** (martial-throwing another Deinonychus): "You ARE aware I'm a little BUSY right now?"

(Ranger takes off at a full sprint)

(Biomaster drains Minuteman. The T-Rex breaks his grasp)

(Ranger makes his move-by grab roll, taking the killswitch away from Biomaster)

 **Biomaster** (taking off after Ranger as he boosts his personal Running): "Come back here with that!"

 **Ranger** (passing underneath the tail of T-Rex): "NOW, Bassman!"

(Mr. Bassman hits the T-Rex with his CON drain, and the dinosaur voids his bowels at the exact moment Biomaster is underneath its tail)

 **Starforce** (watching from the air): "HAHAHAHAHA..."

(Starforce is hit by yet another pterodactyl)

 **Starforce** (shooting a force-spear at it): "DAMMIT!"

(From the dung heap, Biomaster gets an arm free and hits Ranger with a END drain at the same moment Ranger throws the killswitch to Ladyhawk. Ranger is stunned.)

(Ladyhawk catches the killswitch, smiles sweetly at Biomaster, and presses it.)

 **Biomaster** : "NOOOOOO!!"

(every dinosaur in the construction site jerks, screams, and falls over dead. The T-Rex's collapse makes everything on the ground jump)

 **Ladyhawk** (still smiling): "We win."

(Ladyhawk's Danger Sense goes off *hard*, and she barely throws herself out of the way of a dead pterodactyl plummenting from the sky. All around the construction site, pterodactyl corpses hit the ground like bags of wet cement. She has to evade twice more. Ironically, the last one knocks Biomaster out, who was still struggling to free himself from the dung heap)

(Starforce violently brakes to a hover just above Ladyhawk. In shock, they look around at all the dead pterodactyls. Then they look at each other)

 **Starforce** : "As God is my witness, I thought pterodactyls could fly!"

* * *

(Just north of the Galleria. Five minutes later)

(Post-battle cleanup is in progress. PRIMUS agents are now everywhere)

(Starforce is looking at the claw marks on Julie's armor left by the Deinonychii)

 **Starforce** (sternly): "Ninjette, you're supposed to avoid damage. Not suck it up."

 **Ladyhawk** (yanking her arm away, angry): "Excuse me, Nerd-boy? You're not my father; you're not my team leader. Why did you give me this armor anyway if I'm not supposed to be USING it?"

 **Ranger** (walking by and glancing at the claw marks on Ladyhawk's armor): "You know, ninjas are supposed to avoid damage, not soak it up."

(Ranger walks off)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "I HATE you."

(she stomps off after Ranger)

 **Starforce** (out loud to her back): "You're welcome?"

(he drifts after them, eventually ending up with the rest of TASK FORCE around Biomaster. He has been excavated from the dino-dung heap and has recovered from the pterodactyl-induced concussion. Sage has already psychokinetically divested him of his gauntlets and hypospray, and is holding him motionless thanks to mental paralysis)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (to Ranger): "He's still rather aromatic. Could you have PRIMUS hurry up?"

 **Ranger** : "In a minute. I'm enjoying this too much."

 **Biomaster** : "You think this is funny, Ranger? That's humor I'd expect from a 14-year old boy!" (beat) "Or Starforce."

 **Ladyhawk** (muttered): "Not that there's much of a difference..."

 **Starforce** (to Ladyhawk): "HEY!"

 **Biomaster** (to Ladyhawk and Starforce): "Oh my God! Will you two just GET A ROOM and have sex already?"

 **Starforce** : "We tried to in December. Her sling got in the way." /* epilogue of '72 Hours' */

(Biomaster stops in mid-rant, eyes wide. Ladyhawk's eyes grow wide too. She hits Starforce)

 **Ranger** : "Guys? FOCUS!"

(Ladyhawk, Starforce, and Biomaster fall silent. Ranger starts a complete 360 around Biomaster)

 **Biomaster** : "I suppose you're going to tell me that you've smelled worse?"

 **Ranger** : "I *was* going to tell you that you'll get used to it."

 **Biomaster** : "Is that why you're circling me and gloating?"

 **Ranger** : "No. I'm trying to understand what you did this afternoon."

 **Biomaster** : "You're trying to intimidate me."

 **Ranger** : "That, too." (beat, still circling) "Sending cloned dinosaurs on a rampage through Dallas and its suburbs for no reason? That's not like you!"

 **Biomaster** : "Oh, I had my reasons."

 **Ladyhawk** (starting her own circle of Biomaster in a direction opposite of Ranger's): "Would you like to volunteer them?"

 **Biomaster** : "Not without my lawyer present."

 **Ranger** : "Would you like Sage to make you volunteer them?"

 **Biomaster** : "I believe current legal precedent would equate that to a coerced confession." (beat, evil smile) "Are you SURE you want to incur the wrath of PRIMUS for botching their latest attempt to prosecute me?"

 **Ranger** : "Nope." (beat, evil smile of his own) "But doesn't it KILL you to *not* be able to boast about the genius of your latest plan?"

(awkward pause. Biomaster's lip quivers)

 **Mr. Bassman** (walking past, playing along): "Even a *little*, mon?"

(beat)

 **Biomaster** : "You bastards..."

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry, still circling): "Really tearing you up inside, huh?"

 **Biomaster** : "ALL RIGHT! You win!" (beat, regains his composure) "You remember the guy who wrote _The Andromeda Strain_?"

 **Starforce** : "Michael Crichton? He's good! I've read a few of his other..."

 **Ranger** : "Starforce? Focus."

 **Biomaster** : "Yes, well anyway. I recently acquired a rough draft of a book he intends to publish in the next year or two about an amusement park consisting of cloned dinosaurs."

 **Starforce** : "So what are you saying? That Michael Crichton is the real villain here instead of you?"

 **Ladyhawk** (hitting Starforce): "NERD-BOY!"

 **Ranger** : "Wouldn't you have to pay royalties to Mr. Crichton for using his idea of cloned dinosaurs?"

 **Biomaster** (sighs): "So close to the truth, Ranger, yet so far away."

 **Ranger** : "I don't understand..."

 **Biomaster** : "Of course you wouldn't." (beat) "By cloning and demonstrating my own dinosaurs NOW, I was going to sue Mr. Crichton for infringement of prior art when he published *his* book!"

(awkward pause, while TASK FORCE decides whether to laugh or be in shock)

 **Sage** : "That's insane!"

 **Starforce** : "Given the current state of intellectual property law in America, he would have had a good chance of winning that suit." (beat, shakes his head) "DAMN, Matt!"

 **Biomaster** : "SOMEBODY appreciates my deviousness!"

(a team of PRIMUS agents has come up to TASK FORCE and Biomaster)

 **PRIMUS Agent 1** (to Biomaster): "Hopefully, your jury will as well."

 **PRIMUS Agent 2** (to TASK FORCE): "Anything we need to do before we take him to holding?"

 **Minuteman** : "Hose him off?"

 **Starforce** (to Minuteman): "Are you sure we want to do that? Nothing's smelled like him in at least 65 million years."

 **Biomaster** (to Starforce): "Like *you* have a paleontologist on speed dial."

 **Ranger** (to Biomaster): "That can be arranged."

 **PRIMUS Agent 1** : "Come along, now."

(Sage releases Biomaster, and the agents lead him away)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Whoa, mon! We can breathe again!"

 **Minuteman** : "My eyes are still watering."

 **Ranger** : "Sage, was Biomaster telling the truth?"

 **Sage** : "Yes."

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "Michael Crichton is writing a book about an amusement park full of cloned dinosaurs?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Like that'll ever be a best-seller."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Especially when we all just lived it."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Tink I'll wait for the movie, mon."

* * *

(fin)


End file.
